The Le@rning Federation MALL Project Final Report
We are very excited to announce that today the Le@rning Federation has released the final results from the recently completed Mobile Application for Learning Language (MALL) Research Project. The report concludes that the project "clearly demonstrates a positive response to the use of mobile phones for language learning".
The project involved deploying the Learnosity Voice platform in in 13 schools across three Australian states: South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The project targeted 250 (primarily Year 9 and 10) students learning the Indonesian language. A demonstration including a recording of a sample call, shown with subtitles is available here.
Gain in the mean scores across trial schools:
Pre and Post test scores
The results showed that the students, who took conversation tests at the beginning and end of the project, made significant improvements in their Indonesian language skills. An increase of 11% in the average score is shown between pre and post-tests. The improvements in test scores was particularly notable in weaker students.
The report also suggests that the greater the number of corrected conversations per student (thus increased feedback to the students), the greater the improvement. As a result, the quantitative analysis at the school level show particularly positive effects in certain schools.
Pre to Post Test Scores by School
Through questionnaires, the students expressed feeling more confident and having better listening and speaking skills. Individual student comments were exceedingly positive:
- ...I would definitely love to use the phones again!
- I have learnt many new words and am able to understand them when they're talking now.
- I feel more confident in speaking Indonesian and stringing sentences together with flow.
Teachers found that in using the MALL method they were “better able to identify individual difficulties with the language, vocabulary or understanding” and that approach was “easy to incorporate... into their teaching plans”. Teachers also described the project as providing “an authentic language experience” and more “on-task” time in the classroom:
- Conversation skills improved, group work was more cohesive and peer teaching was more meaningful. There was greater purpose to learning language.
- ...it was also way better to hear a student’s work without class noise and other distractions. Very easy to pick up more mistakes and common errors than when in a normal class situation.
- ...blown away by improved confidence. Not afraid to speak in front of others. Weak students; boys in particular.
The Le@rning Federation concluded the report with some recommendations:
- That this approach to learning languages and other subjects be explored for broader implementation.
- To enable students to use their own mobile phones.
- “Full implementation” of the program by extending the time length.
- Continued development of content.
- Help schools expand their technology, for example high-speed broadband capability.
We look forward to “broader implementation” of our product and give huge thanks to the MALL team in The Le@rning Federation for all of their diligent and valuable work.
Download the full report from The Le@rning Federation (pdf, 370kb)
UPDATE: The MALL report is now available on The Le@rning Federation website.
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